Fireblight is a destructive and highly infectious disease caused by the bacterium Erwinia amylovora, prevalent in apple and pear trees. However, it can be easily managed with quick identification and action. You’ll want to keep an eye out during late fall for the cankers that will form on trees and remove them before it has a chance to spread as strikes throughout the tree in the spring and summer.
While pears and apples are notorious for fireblight, you should be on the lookout for the disease in crabapples, cotoneaster, and loquats.
The best way to prevent fireblight is to choose resistant varieties. Warren Pear tree is a semi-dwarf, disease resistant tree, that brings a mid-spring harvest of sweet, juicy fruit, even in areas where pears are difficult to grow!
Shop Warren: www.naturehills.com/pear-tree...
The Seckel Pear tree is another great disease resistant option that bears one of the most sumptuously sweet fruits you’ll find. They are often referred to as “sugar pears” or “candy pears” and are often enjoyed as a dessert.
Shop Seckel: www.naturehills.com/seckel-pe...
Shop all Pear Trees: www.naturehills.com/fruit-tre...
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There are other ways to prevent fireblight such as possibly adding a sulfur application before the new season's growth is visible, such as the late fall and early spring. It is not advised you use this option though any other time of the year as it can damage the limbs. There are also antibiotics that can be used sparingly, as the tree will build up a tolerance to these.
Before cutting any of the infected branches, make sure to have the proper tools. Here, we are using a pair of shears, loppers, and a spray bottle filled with a solution of 10% bleach and 90% water, and a cloth. The bleach is to disinfect the shear and lopper blades so as to limit the contamination of fireblight as much as possible. Disinfect the shear or lopper blades each time you make a cut.
Identifying which branches are infected with fireblight is the next step. A healthy branch has regular coloring without any indentations or discoloration. Leave these branches alone and look for other branches with patches of dark and grayish discoloration. If you are unsure make a shallow cut with a knife, if the bark chips away and is dead, you’ve found a fireblight infected area.
When dealing with minor infections, you only need to cut back eight inches from the bottom of the fireblight infected area. If the infection is larger, more room might be necessary to stop the spread.
For more detailed information about Fireblight and the ways to prevent it, visit: treefruit.wsu.edu/crop-protect...
1 янв 2020
